For many years I've recommended my Heat Seeking Craps Strategy as a savvy way for players with limited bankrolls to approach the game. The strategy has a number of advantages that work well for players on a budget – most notably that is positions the player to win with very little downside risk. When played properly you'll never have more than three units at risk per hand – and in fairly short order you can lock up a profit and play from a position of power.
Craps is a perfect game for high rollers and one of the most exciting games that have an immediate impact on the player. It is a gamble for anybody due to the house edge, even for high rollers such as Phil Ivey since they will win over the long haul. It's not like the Hollywood portrayal of high-roller James Bond types. A dress code of men in white tuxes sipping on martinis and lovely ladies blowing on their dice isn't reality. Come as you areshorts, sandals, beer in hand and a stack of chips and the best part is, it applies to online craps or land-based casinos!
For this play we're going to assume the guy doing the betting is a high roller who buys in for $30,000. He likes to keep 10% of his bankroll on the table, so he'll be looking to get $3000 out there in fairly short order. He takes that $3000 and places it in the front rack, then sets his remaining $27.000 in the back rail. As our player wins he will place the winning chips in the front rack along side his action chips. When the dollar value of the chips in the front rack exceeds $3500 he has the choice of stepping up his play to the next level.
Let's say our player watches a new shooter come out, then toss a couple of box numbers, including one repeater. That's his queue to get some action on the table, so he drops $1200 on the layout and tells the dealer Place the six and eight for $600 each. Then he bets $500 in the Come. At this point, due to the hedge effect of the Come bet, the shooter has a net $700 at risk to win $700 on the six or eight. There are ten ways to win on the combined six and eight bet, versus six ways to lose on the seven. In essence, the shooter is booking the house instead of the other way around.
On the next toss of the dice one of four things happens. The shooter makes his pass, he throws a box number, he throws a craps or eleven, or he sevens out. If he sevens out, the series ends with a net $700 loss. If he throws a craps number and you lose your Come bet you must stop betting until you note another positive indicator. If he makes his Pass or throws any box number your Come bet will travel to that number.
Let's assume the next number to roll is the nine and continue with our play. The come bet travels to the nine. The player now has three units at risk, $600 each on the six and eight plus a $500 flat bet on the nine. The dealer asks him if he wants odds. The answer is no. Instead the player drops another $500 on the Come, taking advantage of the hedge effect of the Come bet to reduce his exposure to two $60 units. That leaves him $800 in action chips in the rack and puts a total of $2200 in action.
The shooter tosses the dice and rolls the six. A couple of things happen at this point. First of all, the $500 Come Bet travels to the six. Next the dealer will pay our player $700 for the $600 six place bet and bring the bet down. Our player will put his $700 winnings plus $100 of the original bet back in the rack, bringing his action chip total back up to $1600. Then he will drop the remaining $500 in the Come to hedge his two flat bets and the Place action on the eight.
By this time the stickman will have tried valiantly to get our player to take odds on his Come bets. The box man may even have piggybacked on those recommendations. But the player is steadfast. 'I'm playing a little system I like,' he says. And that's that.
This time the shooter rolls a four. The $500 Come bet travels to the four. The player now has four bets on the layout – three contract Come bets that consist of $500 each on the four, six, and nine, plus a $600 Place bet on the eight. This is the highest point of risk in this strategy. The player has two options. First, to risk all Four units with no further Come action until one of his bets repeats and is paid, or to come down off the place bet on the eight and continue to Come bet.
Let's assume our player does the former and assume the eight rolls next. Our player collects an additional $70 for the place bet and adds it to his action rack – bringing the total up to $250. But since the bet on the eight does not come down he makes no additional wagers.
Now let's say the six repeats on the next roll. Since the six is a Come bet our shooter is paid $500 and the $500 Come bet comes down. At this point the shooter locks up $400 with in his action rack, bringing his front rack total to $290, then hands $600 to the dealer and re-places the six. Why? Because in the Heat Seeker we always want the six and eight working UNLESS there are four or more working bets on the layout. If the player finds himself with more than four bets working he must come down off the six or eight, or both.
Suppose the shooter makes his pass and throws the five on the next toss. Our shooter wants to do a quick tally so he notes he has $500 flat bets working on the four and nine, plus $60 each in Place Action on the six and eight. If he were to bring down the $1200 action on the six and eight and drop it in his action rack he would find himself with a $110 win guarantee for the series. And since our shooter made his Pass, under the Heat Seeking Craps strategy the player can now make a Pass Line wager.
Our player makes a $500 Pass Line bet. This provides a partial hedge for his established Come bets and leaves him with just $50 at risk. The shooter gets the dice again and establishes a four as the point. The dealer pays the player's $50 Come bet and hands off $1000. The player takes $20 from his action chips, adds it to the $1000 and Places the six and eight for $600 each. Then we start the entire process again. When those long, hot hands come along and there's a profit in the rack the player has the option of adding odds on subsequent hits -always watching those action chips and focusing on keeping more than $300 in the rack.
You'll find the complete Heat Seeker on the Axis Power Craps Forum. The point of this simple place/come betting strategy is that it allows the player to see plenty of action while minimizing risk. It forces the bets to pay for themselves first while taking advantage of the lowest vig bets on the layout. Will it win 100% of the time? Of course not. But long, hot hands are what most players are looking for in the game. The Heat Seeking Craps Strategy will help you survive until the hot shooter comes along. Then – it's money in your pocket.
Related Articles
Fire Bet
The Fire Bet pays based on how many unique points a shooter can make before sevening out. Free online casino games craps. Please see my page on the Fire Bet for the rules rules and analysis.
Different Doubles
The Different Doubles pays based on the number of distinct doubles the shooter rolls before a seven. Please see my page on the Different Doubles for the rules rules and analysis.
Ride the Line
Details about this side bet can be found in my Ride the Line page.
Muggsy's Corner
This is a simple side bet that wins if the come out roll is a seven or a 'point-7' (point established and seven on the next roll). For the full rules and analysis, please see my page on Muggsy's Corner.
Hard Rockin' Dice
This set of three side bets, originally called the Hot Hand, can be found at the Hard Rock Cincinnati. They if various sets of totals are rolled before a seven. Please see my page on Hard Rockin' Dice for more information.
Low Dice, High Dice
This pair of bets are based on the total of the dice in one throw. The 'Low Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 3 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The 'High Dice' pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12. The following return table on the Low Dice bet shows the house edge is 5.56%. The High Dice bet is the opposite so has the same house edge.
Low Bet
Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 1 | 0.027778 | 5 | 0.138889 |
3 to 6 | 14 | 0.388889 | 1 | 0.388889 |
7 to 12 | 21 | 0.583333 | -1 | -0.583333 |
Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Card Craps
In some jurisdictions, namely California, dice alone may not determine the outcome of a bet. In the game of 'Card Craps' 24-card decks are used each consisting of ranks ace to six in all four suits. Two cards are drawn to simulate the roll of the dice. If the suits are different the 'roll' stands. If the suits are the same, then the roll is ignored for all craps bets. The odds on all craps bets are the same as if dice were used.
However, there is an extra bet called the 'No Call.' This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two cards are suited, otherwise it loses. The house edge depends on the number of 24-card decks used as shown below.
Card Craps - No Call Bet
Decks | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|
1 | 0.217391 | 13.0435% |
2 | 0.234043 | 6.383% |
3 | 0.239437 | 4.2254% |
4 | 0.242105 | 3.1579% |
5 | 0.243697 | 2.521% |
6 | 0.244755 | 2.0979% |
7 | 0.245509 | 1.7964% |
8 | 0.246073 | 1.5707% |
9 | 0.246512 | 1.3953% |
10 | 0.246862 | 1.2552% |
11 | 0.247148 | 1.1407% |
12 | 0.247387 | 1.0453% |
13 | 0.247588 | 0.9646% |
14 | 0.247761 | 0.8955% |
15 | 0.247911 | 0.8357% |
16 | 0.248042 | 0.7833% |
Midway Bet
The Showboat in Atlantic City I'm told has a Midway bet in the normal location of the Big 6 and Big 8 on a total of 6 to 8 in the next roll. A hard 6 or 8 pay 2 to 1, and all other totals of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The following table shows the house edge is 5.56%.
Midway Bet
Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hard 6,8 | 2 | 0.055556 | 2 | 0.111111 |
Soft 6,8 | 8 | 0.222222 | 1 | 0.222222 |
7 | 6 | 0.166667 | 1 | 0.166667 |
All other | 20 | 0.555556 | -1 | -0.555556 |
Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Bonus Craps (Small, Tall, & All)
Bonus Craps is a set of three side bets, the Small, Tall, and All. For all the details, please visit my Bonus Craps page.
Four Rolls no Seven
I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The bet wins if the shooter can go four throws without rolling a seven. A win pays 1 to 1. The odds are as follows.
Four Rolls no Seven
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 1 | 0.482253 | 0.482253 |
Loss | -1 | 0.517747 | -0.517747 |
Total | 1 | -0.035494 |
Golden Dice Challenge
The 'Golden Dice Challenge' is a craps side bet found at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The bet pays according to the number of pass line wins the player has before a seven-out. For purposes of the side bet, a win may be made either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, or making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll does not affect the bet. There is a maximum win of $5,000.
The following return table shows the pays, probabilities, and return from each event, based on a $1 bet.
Golden Dice Challenge Return Table for $1 Bet
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
20 or more | 5000 to 1 | 0.000008 | 0.037819 |
17 to 19 | 2000 to 1 | 0.000037 | 0.07358 |
15 to 16 | 1000 to 1 | 0.0001 | 0.099877 |
13 to 14 | 100 to 1 | 0.000325 | 0.032478 |
11 to 12 | 50 to 1 | 0.001056 | 0.052806 |
9 to 10 | 25 to 1 | 0.003434 | 0.085858 |
7 to 8 | 10 to 1 | 0.011168 | 0.111678 |
5 to 6 | 5 to 1 | 0.036316 | 0.181578 |
0 to 4 | Loss | 0.947557 | -0.947557 |
Total | 1 | -0.271883 |
Assuming the maximum win is $5000 the following is the house edge for various bet amounts.
Golden Dice Challenge House Edge by Amout Bet
Bet | House Edge |
---|---|
$100 | 49.22% |
$50 | 46.87% |
$25 | 45.43% |
$10 | 41.10% |
$5 | 33.89% |
$4 | 32.78% |
$3 | 30.94% |
$2 | 29.08% |
$1 | 27.19% |
7 Point 7
7 Point 7 is a craps side bet, which debuted at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas, in late 2008. I have also seen it at the Hard Rock in Macau under the name 'Double Trip Seven.' The bet wins if the player gets a seven on the come out roll, or the dreaded 'point 7,' where the player sevens out on his second roll. The following table shows a house edge of 5.56%.
7 Point 7 Return Table
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
7 on come out roll | 2 | 0.166667 | 0.333333 |
Point 7 | 3 | 0.111111 | 0.333333 |
Loser | -1 | 0.722222 | -0.722222 |
Total | 1 | -0.055556 |
Sharp Shooter
888 ladies bingo. The 'Sharp Shooter' is a side bet in craps spotted at the Hooters casino in Las Vegas in March, 2009. I hear it was removed in 2014.
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The bet is made when a new shooter takes the dice, and pays according to how many times he makes a point. The following table shows what each number of points made pays and the probability. Pays have been converted to a 'to one' basis, to be consistent with the rest of this page. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 21.87%.
Sharp Shooter — Return Table
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
10 or more | 299 | 0.000122 | 0.03644 |
9 | 199 | 0.000178 | 0.035474 |
8 | 99 | 0.000439 | 0.043461 |
7 | 49 | 0.001081 | 0.052975 |
6 | 29 | 0.002662 | 0.077212 |
5 | 19 | 0.006557 | 0.12458 |
4 | 9 | 0.016148 | 0.145328 |
3 | 5 | 0.039766 | 0.198831 |
2 or less | -1 | 0.933047 | -0.933047 |
Total | 1 | -0.218744 |
Double Trip Seven
I noticed this bet at the City of Dreams in Macau in August 2009. It is the same thing as the7 Point 7 bet aleady described.
Point Seven
I saw this side bet at the 2009 Global Gaming Expo, and in June 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton. It is licensed by Casino Gaming LLC. It is a side wager made on the come out roll. If the player rolls a point, and then a seven on the second roll, the bet pays 7 to 1. All other outcomes lose. The following table shows the house edge is 11.11%.
Point Seven
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 7 | 0.111111 | 0.777778 |
Loss | -1 | 0.888889 | -0.888889 |
Total | 1 | -0.111111 |
Replay
Replay is a craps side bet I spotted at the Boulder Station on September 16, 2010. It pays if the shooter makes the same point at least 3 times before sevening out. For my full analysis, please see my page on the Replay side bet.
Twice as Nice
Twice as Nice is a side bet that has been seen at an unknown casino in Biloxi. It wins if the shooter throws any specific pair, including a total of 2 and 12, twice before a seven. For example, rolling a hard 10 twice before a 7. Wins pay 6 to 1. The following table shows a house edge of 29.40%.
Twice as Nice
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 6 | 0.100863 | 0.605178 |
Loss | -1 | 0.899137 | -0.899137 |
Total | 1 | -0.293959 |
A win of 7 to 1 would have a house edge of 19.31%, and 8 to 1 would be 9.22%.
Pete and Repeat
Pete and Repeat has also been seen at the same mystery casino in Biloxi. It wins if any total is rolled twice before a 7. Wins pay even money. The following table shows a house edge of 5.79%.
Pete and Repeat
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 1 | 0.471066 | 0.471066 |
Loss | -1 | 0.528934 | -0.528934 |
Total | 1 | -0.057868 |
Double D
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It pays if the shooter makes at least four unique doubles before he sevens out. Come out rolls do not count. The following table shows all the possible outcomes, what they pay (on a 'to one' basis), the probability, and return. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 14.71%.
Double D
Unique Doubles | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 250 | 0.001083 | 0.270633 |
5 | 50 | 0.006494 | 0.324683 |
4 | 10 | 0.022728 | 0.227282 |
0 to 3 | -1 | 0.969696 | -0.969696 |
Total | 1.000000 | -0.147097 |
Broad Bar 12
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It acts like a place bet, winning on any double except 6-6, and losing on seven. The following return table shows the a house edge of 1.52%, per bet resolved.
Broad Bar 12 — Not Counting Pushes
Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Double, except 6-6 | 1.166667 | 5 | 0.454545 | 0.530303 |
Seven | -1 | 6 | 0.545455 | -0.545455 |
Total | 11 | 1.000000 | -0.015152 |
Hot Roller
On December 27, 2013, a member of my Wizard of Vegas forum posted about seeing this side bet at the Dover Downs casino in Delaware. It pays based on how many 'completed points' the shooter gets before rolling a seven. The shooter completes a point when he rolls it in all possible ways. For example, to complete a point of eight the shooter would need to roll a 2+6, 3+5, and 4+4. Following are the complete rules.
High Roller Craps
- The bet may be made only on a come out roll.
- The bet will be resolved when the shooter rolls a seven.
- The bet pays according to how many 'completed points' the shooter achieves.
- To complete a point, the shooter must roll the given total all possible ways. The following list shows all the ways to roll each total.
- 4: 1+3, 2+2
- 5: 1+4, 2+3
- 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3
- 8: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4
- 9: 3+6, 4+5
- 10: 4+6, 5+5
- The player must complete at least two points to win. The following table shows how much each number of completed points pays.
Hot Roller Pay Table
Completed Points | Pays |
---|---|
6 | 200 to 1 |
5 | 50 to 1 |
4 | 20 to 1 |
3 | 10 to 1 |
2 | 5 to 1 |
0 or 1 | Loss |
The following table shows the probability and contribution to the return for all possible outcomes. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.50%. There are certainly much worse things you could bet on in craps.
Hot Roller Return Table
Completed Points | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 200 | 0.000412 | 0.082441 |
5 | 50 | 0.002219 | 0.110968 |
4 | 20 | 0.007528 | 0.150567 |
3 | 10 | 0.021193 | 0.211934 |
2 | 5 | 0.056287 | 0.281435 |
0 or 1 | -1 | 0.912360 | -0.912360 |
Total | 1.000000 | -0.075013 |
My methodology was a random simulation of 28 billion resolved bets.
Repeater
Repeater is a set of craps side bets I noticed at the Suncoast casino in Las Vegas on April 6, 2015. The idea is that the player must roll a given number a specified number of times before a seven. For bets on 2 to 6, the player must roll that total the same number of times as the total itself. For example, for the bet on the number five to win, the shooter must roll 5 fives before a seven. For totals of 8 to 12, the player must roll the total 14 less whatever the total is. For example, on a total of 11, the player must roll an eleven 14-11=3 times before a seven.
The following is what each specific bet pays:- 2: 40 for 1
- 3: 50 for 1
- 4: 65 for 1
- 5: 80 for 1
- 6: 90 for 1
- 8: 90 for 1
- 9: 80 for 1
- 10: 65 for 1
- 11: 50 for 1
- 12: 40 for 1
The following table shows the probability of winning and house edge of each bet.
Repeater — Suncoast Rules
Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
2 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
3 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
4 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
5 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
6 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
8 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
9 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
10 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
11 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
12 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
At Caesars Palace I noticed they added a 'Dealer Envy' win to the same Suncoast pay table above. The following table shows the return to the player, the dealer, and the total.
Repeater — Caesars Palace Dealer Envy Rules
Dice Total | Number Needed | Player Win | Dealer Envy | Player Return | Dealer Return | Total Return |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
3 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
4 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
5 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
6 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
8 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
9 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
10 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
11 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
12 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
It should be noted that the player can achieve the same thing by parlaying place/buy bets. Here is the same chart for the better of place and buy bets. This assumes a buy bet on the 4 with commission on a win only (effective odds of 59 for 20), place bet on the 5 paying 7 to 5, and place bet on the 6 paying 7 to 6.
On the next toss of the dice one of four things happens. The shooter makes his pass, he throws a box number, he throws a craps or eleven, or he sevens out. If he sevens out, the series ends with a net $700 loss. If he throws a craps number and you lose your Come bet you must stop betting until you note another positive indicator. If he makes his Pass or throws any box number your Come bet will travel to that number.
Let's assume the next number to roll is the nine and continue with our play. The come bet travels to the nine. The player now has three units at risk, $600 each on the six and eight plus a $500 flat bet on the nine. The dealer asks him if he wants odds. The answer is no. Instead the player drops another $500 on the Come, taking advantage of the hedge effect of the Come bet to reduce his exposure to two $60 units. That leaves him $800 in action chips in the rack and puts a total of $2200 in action.
The shooter tosses the dice and rolls the six. A couple of things happen at this point. First of all, the $500 Come Bet travels to the six. Next the dealer will pay our player $700 for the $600 six place bet and bring the bet down. Our player will put his $700 winnings plus $100 of the original bet back in the rack, bringing his action chip total back up to $1600. Then he will drop the remaining $500 in the Come to hedge his two flat bets and the Place action on the eight.
By this time the stickman will have tried valiantly to get our player to take odds on his Come bets. The box man may even have piggybacked on those recommendations. But the player is steadfast. 'I'm playing a little system I like,' he says. And that's that.
This time the shooter rolls a four. The $500 Come bet travels to the four. The player now has four bets on the layout – three contract Come bets that consist of $500 each on the four, six, and nine, plus a $600 Place bet on the eight. This is the highest point of risk in this strategy. The player has two options. First, to risk all Four units with no further Come action until one of his bets repeats and is paid, or to come down off the place bet on the eight and continue to Come bet.
Let's assume our player does the former and assume the eight rolls next. Our player collects an additional $70 for the place bet and adds it to his action rack – bringing the total up to $250. But since the bet on the eight does not come down he makes no additional wagers.
Now let's say the six repeats on the next roll. Since the six is a Come bet our shooter is paid $500 and the $500 Come bet comes down. At this point the shooter locks up $400 with in his action rack, bringing his front rack total to $290, then hands $600 to the dealer and re-places the six. Why? Because in the Heat Seeker we always want the six and eight working UNLESS there are four or more working bets on the layout. If the player finds himself with more than four bets working he must come down off the six or eight, or both.
Suppose the shooter makes his pass and throws the five on the next toss. Our shooter wants to do a quick tally so he notes he has $500 flat bets working on the four and nine, plus $60 each in Place Action on the six and eight. If he were to bring down the $1200 action on the six and eight and drop it in his action rack he would find himself with a $110 win guarantee for the series. And since our shooter made his Pass, under the Heat Seeking Craps strategy the player can now make a Pass Line wager.
Our player makes a $500 Pass Line bet. This provides a partial hedge for his established Come bets and leaves him with just $50 at risk. The shooter gets the dice again and establishes a four as the point. The dealer pays the player's $50 Come bet and hands off $1000. The player takes $20 from his action chips, adds it to the $1000 and Places the six and eight for $600 each. Then we start the entire process again. When those long, hot hands come along and there's a profit in the rack the player has the option of adding odds on subsequent hits -always watching those action chips and focusing on keeping more than $300 in the rack.
You'll find the complete Heat Seeker on the Axis Power Craps Forum. The point of this simple place/come betting strategy is that it allows the player to see plenty of action while minimizing risk. It forces the bets to pay for themselves first while taking advantage of the lowest vig bets on the layout. Will it win 100% of the time? Of course not. But long, hot hands are what most players are looking for in the game. The Heat Seeking Craps Strategy will help you survive until the hot shooter comes along. Then – it's money in your pocket.
Related Articles
Fire Bet
The Fire Bet pays based on how many unique points a shooter can make before sevening out. Free online casino games craps. Please see my page on the Fire Bet for the rules rules and analysis.
Different Doubles
The Different Doubles pays based on the number of distinct doubles the shooter rolls before a seven. Please see my page on the Different Doubles for the rules rules and analysis.
Ride the Line
Details about this side bet can be found in my Ride the Line page.
Muggsy's Corner
This is a simple side bet that wins if the come out roll is a seven or a 'point-7' (point established and seven on the next roll). For the full rules and analysis, please see my page on Muggsy's Corner.
Hard Rockin' Dice
This set of three side bets, originally called the Hot Hand, can be found at the Hard Rock Cincinnati. They if various sets of totals are rolled before a seven. Please see my page on Hard Rockin' Dice for more information.
Low Dice, High Dice
This pair of bets are based on the total of the dice in one throw. The 'Low Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 3 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The 'High Dice' pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12. The following return table on the Low Dice bet shows the house edge is 5.56%. The High Dice bet is the opposite so has the same house edge.
Low Bet
Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 1 | 0.027778 | 5 | 0.138889 |
3 to 6 | 14 | 0.388889 | 1 | 0.388889 |
7 to 12 | 21 | 0.583333 | -1 | -0.583333 |
Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Card Craps
In some jurisdictions, namely California, dice alone may not determine the outcome of a bet. In the game of 'Card Craps' 24-card decks are used each consisting of ranks ace to six in all four suits. Two cards are drawn to simulate the roll of the dice. If the suits are different the 'roll' stands. If the suits are the same, then the roll is ignored for all craps bets. The odds on all craps bets are the same as if dice were used.
However, there is an extra bet called the 'No Call.' This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two cards are suited, otherwise it loses. The house edge depends on the number of 24-card decks used as shown below.
Card Craps - No Call Bet
Decks | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|
1 | 0.217391 | 13.0435% |
2 | 0.234043 | 6.383% |
3 | 0.239437 | 4.2254% |
4 | 0.242105 | 3.1579% |
5 | 0.243697 | 2.521% |
6 | 0.244755 | 2.0979% |
7 | 0.245509 | 1.7964% |
8 | 0.246073 | 1.5707% |
9 | 0.246512 | 1.3953% |
10 | 0.246862 | 1.2552% |
11 | 0.247148 | 1.1407% |
12 | 0.247387 | 1.0453% |
13 | 0.247588 | 0.9646% |
14 | 0.247761 | 0.8955% |
15 | 0.247911 | 0.8357% |
16 | 0.248042 | 0.7833% |
Midway Bet
The Showboat in Atlantic City I'm told has a Midway bet in the normal location of the Big 6 and Big 8 on a total of 6 to 8 in the next roll. A hard 6 or 8 pay 2 to 1, and all other totals of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The following table shows the house edge is 5.56%.
Midway Bet
Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hard 6,8 | 2 | 0.055556 | 2 | 0.111111 |
Soft 6,8 | 8 | 0.222222 | 1 | 0.222222 |
7 | 6 | 0.166667 | 1 | 0.166667 |
All other | 20 | 0.555556 | -1 | -0.555556 |
Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Bonus Craps (Small, Tall, & All)
Bonus Craps is a set of three side bets, the Small, Tall, and All. For all the details, please visit my Bonus Craps page.
Four Rolls no Seven
I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The bet wins if the shooter can go four throws without rolling a seven. A win pays 1 to 1. The odds are as follows.
Four Rolls no Seven
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 1 | 0.482253 | 0.482253 |
Loss | -1 | 0.517747 | -0.517747 |
Total | 1 | -0.035494 |
Golden Dice Challenge
The 'Golden Dice Challenge' is a craps side bet found at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The bet pays according to the number of pass line wins the player has before a seven-out. For purposes of the side bet, a win may be made either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, or making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll does not affect the bet. There is a maximum win of $5,000.
The following return table shows the pays, probabilities, and return from each event, based on a $1 bet.
Golden Dice Challenge Return Table for $1 Bet
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
20 or more | 5000 to 1 | 0.000008 | 0.037819 |
17 to 19 | 2000 to 1 | 0.000037 | 0.07358 |
15 to 16 | 1000 to 1 | 0.0001 | 0.099877 |
13 to 14 | 100 to 1 | 0.000325 | 0.032478 |
11 to 12 | 50 to 1 | 0.001056 | 0.052806 |
9 to 10 | 25 to 1 | 0.003434 | 0.085858 |
7 to 8 | 10 to 1 | 0.011168 | 0.111678 |
5 to 6 | 5 to 1 | 0.036316 | 0.181578 |
0 to 4 | Loss | 0.947557 | -0.947557 |
Total | 1 | -0.271883 |
Assuming the maximum win is $5000 the following is the house edge for various bet amounts.
Golden Dice Challenge House Edge by Amout Bet
Bet | House Edge |
---|---|
$100 | 49.22% |
$50 | 46.87% |
$25 | 45.43% |
$10 | 41.10% |
$5 | 33.89% |
$4 | 32.78% |
$3 | 30.94% |
$2 | 29.08% |
$1 | 27.19% |
7 Point 7
7 Point 7 is a craps side bet, which debuted at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas, in late 2008. I have also seen it at the Hard Rock in Macau under the name 'Double Trip Seven.' The bet wins if the player gets a seven on the come out roll, or the dreaded 'point 7,' where the player sevens out on his second roll. The following table shows a house edge of 5.56%.
7 Point 7 Return Table
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
7 on come out roll | 2 | 0.166667 | 0.333333 |
Point 7 | 3 | 0.111111 | 0.333333 |
Loser | -1 | 0.722222 | -0.722222 |
Total | 1 | -0.055556 |
Sharp Shooter
888 ladies bingo. The 'Sharp Shooter' is a side bet in craps spotted at the Hooters casino in Las Vegas in March, 2009. I hear it was removed in 2014.
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The bet is made when a new shooter takes the dice, and pays according to how many times he makes a point. The following table shows what each number of points made pays and the probability. Pays have been converted to a 'to one' basis, to be consistent with the rest of this page. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 21.87%.
Sharp Shooter — Return Table
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
10 or more | 299 | 0.000122 | 0.03644 |
9 | 199 | 0.000178 | 0.035474 |
8 | 99 | 0.000439 | 0.043461 |
7 | 49 | 0.001081 | 0.052975 |
6 | 29 | 0.002662 | 0.077212 |
5 | 19 | 0.006557 | 0.12458 |
4 | 9 | 0.016148 | 0.145328 |
3 | 5 | 0.039766 | 0.198831 |
2 or less | -1 | 0.933047 | -0.933047 |
Total | 1 | -0.218744 |
Double Trip Seven
I noticed this bet at the City of Dreams in Macau in August 2009. It is the same thing as the7 Point 7 bet aleady described.
Point Seven
I saw this side bet at the 2009 Global Gaming Expo, and in June 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton. It is licensed by Casino Gaming LLC. It is a side wager made on the come out roll. If the player rolls a point, and then a seven on the second roll, the bet pays 7 to 1. All other outcomes lose. The following table shows the house edge is 11.11%.
Point Seven
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 7 | 0.111111 | 0.777778 |
Loss | -1 | 0.888889 | -0.888889 |
Total | 1 | -0.111111 |
Replay
Replay is a craps side bet I spotted at the Boulder Station on September 16, 2010. It pays if the shooter makes the same point at least 3 times before sevening out. For my full analysis, please see my page on the Replay side bet.
Twice as Nice
Twice as Nice is a side bet that has been seen at an unknown casino in Biloxi. It wins if the shooter throws any specific pair, including a total of 2 and 12, twice before a seven. For example, rolling a hard 10 twice before a 7. Wins pay 6 to 1. The following table shows a house edge of 29.40%.
Twice as Nice
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 6 | 0.100863 | 0.605178 |
Loss | -1 | 0.899137 | -0.899137 |
Total | 1 | -0.293959 |
A win of 7 to 1 would have a house edge of 19.31%, and 8 to 1 would be 9.22%.
Pete and Repeat
Pete and Repeat has also been seen at the same mystery casino in Biloxi. It wins if any total is rolled twice before a 7. Wins pay even money. The following table shows a house edge of 5.79%.
Pete and Repeat
Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
Win | 1 | 0.471066 | 0.471066 |
Loss | -1 | 0.528934 | -0.528934 |
Total | 1 | -0.057868 |
Double D
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It pays if the shooter makes at least four unique doubles before he sevens out. Come out rolls do not count. The following table shows all the possible outcomes, what they pay (on a 'to one' basis), the probability, and return. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 14.71%.
Double D
Unique Doubles | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 250 | 0.001083 | 0.270633 |
5 | 50 | 0.006494 | 0.324683 |
4 | 10 | 0.022728 | 0.227282 |
0 to 3 | -1 | 0.969696 | -0.969696 |
Total | 1.000000 | -0.147097 |
Broad Bar 12
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It acts like a place bet, winning on any double except 6-6, and losing on seven. The following return table shows the a house edge of 1.52%, per bet resolved.
Broad Bar 12 — Not Counting Pushes
Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Double, except 6-6 | 1.166667 | 5 | 0.454545 | 0.530303 |
Seven | -1 | 6 | 0.545455 | -0.545455 |
Total | 11 | 1.000000 | -0.015152 |
Hot Roller
On December 27, 2013, a member of my Wizard of Vegas forum posted about seeing this side bet at the Dover Downs casino in Delaware. It pays based on how many 'completed points' the shooter gets before rolling a seven. The shooter completes a point when he rolls it in all possible ways. For example, to complete a point of eight the shooter would need to roll a 2+6, 3+5, and 4+4. Following are the complete rules.
High Roller Craps
- The bet may be made only on a come out roll.
- The bet will be resolved when the shooter rolls a seven.
- The bet pays according to how many 'completed points' the shooter achieves.
- To complete a point, the shooter must roll the given total all possible ways. The following list shows all the ways to roll each total.
- 4: 1+3, 2+2
- 5: 1+4, 2+3
- 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3
- 8: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4
- 9: 3+6, 4+5
- 10: 4+6, 5+5
- The player must complete at least two points to win. The following table shows how much each number of completed points pays.
Hot Roller Pay Table
Completed Points | Pays |
---|---|
6 | 200 to 1 |
5 | 50 to 1 |
4 | 20 to 1 |
3 | 10 to 1 |
2 | 5 to 1 |
0 or 1 | Loss |
The following table shows the probability and contribution to the return for all possible outcomes. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.50%. There are certainly much worse things you could bet on in craps.
Hot Roller Return Table
Completed Points | Pays | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|
6 | 200 | 0.000412 | 0.082441 |
5 | 50 | 0.002219 | 0.110968 |
4 | 20 | 0.007528 | 0.150567 |
3 | 10 | 0.021193 | 0.211934 |
2 | 5 | 0.056287 | 0.281435 |
0 or 1 | -1 | 0.912360 | -0.912360 |
Total | 1.000000 | -0.075013 |
My methodology was a random simulation of 28 billion resolved bets.
Repeater
Repeater is a set of craps side bets I noticed at the Suncoast casino in Las Vegas on April 6, 2015. The idea is that the player must roll a given number a specified number of times before a seven. For bets on 2 to 6, the player must roll that total the same number of times as the total itself. For example, for the bet on the number five to win, the shooter must roll 5 fives before a seven. For totals of 8 to 12, the player must roll the total 14 less whatever the total is. For example, on a total of 11, the player must roll an eleven 14-11=3 times before a seven.
The following is what each specific bet pays:- 2: 40 for 1
- 3: 50 for 1
- 4: 65 for 1
- 5: 80 for 1
- 6: 90 for 1
- 8: 90 for 1
- 9: 80 for 1
- 10: 65 for 1
- 11: 50 for 1
- 12: 40 for 1
The following table shows the probability of winning and house edge of each bet.
Repeater — Suncoast Rules
Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
2 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
3 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
4 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
5 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
6 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
8 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
9 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
10 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
11 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
12 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
At Caesars Palace I noticed they added a 'Dealer Envy' win to the same Suncoast pay table above. The following table shows the return to the player, the dealer, and the total.
Repeater — Caesars Palace Dealer Envy Rules
Dice Total | Number Needed | Player Win | Dealer Envy | Player Return | Dealer Return | Total Return |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
3 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
4 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
5 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
6 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
8 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
9 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
10 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
11 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
12 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
It should be noted that the player can achieve the same thing by parlaying place/buy bets. Here is the same chart for the better of place and buy bets. This assumes a buy bet on the 4 with commission on a win only (effective odds of 59 for 20), place bet on the 5 paying 7 to 5, and place bet on the 6 paying 7 to 6.
Place/Buy Parlay Strategy
Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
4 | 75.73 | 0.012346 | 0.065018 |
5 | 79.63 | 0.010240 | 0.184627 |
6 | 103.46 | 0.008820 | 0.087534 |
Note how the house edge is lower on the 4 and 6 making place/buy bets, but greater on the 5.
According to the patent application for the Repeater Bets there are some other variants, as follows:
- Variant 1: Come out rolls don't count. In this version, the player can only lose on a 'seven out' but any numbers rolled on a come out roll don't help either. The patent application doesn't specifically say that other numbers on a come out roll don't help, but it is implied by saying that the casino may choose to let the player turn the repeater bets on and off on a come out roll. Why would any player turn them off if the player could only advance on a come out roll and not lose?
- Variant 2: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The win and number of rolls required are the same as the mirror image number below seven. For example, a player must roll 6 eights on the eight bet, which pays 90 for 1.
- Variant 3: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. However, unlike variant 2, the player must still achieve the given number that many times to win. For example, for a bet on eight, the shooter must roll 8 eights before a seven to win. The odds under this variant are shown below.
Repeater — 'Variant 3' rules
Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
2 | 40 | 0.020408163265 | 0.183673 |
3 | 50 | 0.015625000000 | 0.218750 |
4 | 65 | 0.012345679012 | 0.197531 |
5 | 80 | 0.010240000000 | 0.180800 |
6 | 90 | 0.008819905157 | 0.206209 |
8 | 400 | 0.001822294454 | 0.271082 |
9 | 2,500 | 0.000262144000 | 0.344640 |
10 | 25,000 | 0.000016935088 | 0.576623 |
11 | 100,000 | 0.000000238419 | 0.976158 |
12 | 50,000,000 | 0.000000000072 | 0.996388 |
Under 7, Over 7
The over and under 7 are a pair of side bets I noticed at the New York, New York on January 6, 2017. You can find them where the Big 6 and 8 bets used to be. Both bets pay even money bets and win if the next roll is over/under a 7. So, a total of 7 causes both to lose. The probability of winning is 15/36=41.67% and the house edge is 16.67% (ouch!).
Hard Way Place Bets
.
On May 30, 2017 I noticed place bets on the hard ways on the craps tables at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas. These would win if the specified hard way, for example 5-5, where rolled before a total of seven. Each bet pays 5 to 1.
The following return table shows a house edge of 14.29%, ignoring rolls that neither win nor lose.
Hard Way Place Bets
Bet | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 5 | 1 | 0.142857 | 0.714286 |
Loss | -1 | 6 | 0.857143 | -0.857143 |
Total | 7 | 1.000000 | -0.142857 |
Internal Links
- How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
- The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
- Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
- Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
- Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
- California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
- Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
- Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
- Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
- Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.
External Links
- Las Vegas craps survey — The max odds bet allowed at each casino.